The Howard renaissance never happened, but thanks to an excellent crop of incoming transfers, the MEAC field is still relatively loaded. Which squad will find its way to the Big Dance?
Read moreBig Ten Tournament Preview 2021
Tournament bids, number one seeds, coaching jobs - there’s a ton at stake as the best conference in the country enters its postseason tournament. Who can survive this bloodbath?
Read moreMountain West Tournament Preview 2021
The top four teams all enter the MWC Tournament with valid at-large hopes, meaning we could have two huge semifinal battles on our hands. Of course, Nevada, UNLV, and Fresno State have Cinderella runs on their minds…
Read moreSouthland Tournament Preview 2021
With traditional power Stephen F. Austin serving a postseason ban, the Southland is more open than usual. Abilene Christian is the favorite, but Nicholls, Sam Houston State, and Northwestern State are lurking…
Read moreACC Tournament Preview 2021
It all comes down to this - can Duke get in the NCAA Tournament?? Ok fine, other storylines abound as well - how safe are UNC and Louisville? How high can FSU and UVA’s seeds get? Will Jim Boeheim complain about being in Greensboro? (Yes)
Read moreSummit Tournament Preview 2021
South Dakota State did not exert the dominance that basically everyone expected, leaving this event far more wide open than anticipated as well. South Dakota nearly swept its in-state rivals, and North Dakota State, Oral Roberts, and Kansas City all lurk with strengths of their own…
Read moreColonial Tournament Preview 2021
In a league largely crushed by COVID pauses, James Madison surprisingly rose to the top of the standings in Mark Byington’s first year at the helm. But traditional powers Northeastern, Charleston, and Hofstra will not go quietly…
Read moreWCC Tournament Preview 2021
Welcome to Gonzaga’s playhouse. The Zags haven’t been a single-digit favorite since calendar year 2020, and that won’t change in Las Vegas. Is there a David capable of taking down the Zag Goliath?
Read moreMissouri Valley Tournament Preview 2021
Some of the juice was squeezed out of Arch Madness with Drake’s injury issues, but could a Tank Hemphill return spark the Bulldogs to the auto-bid? Will behemoth Loyola roll to the title? Or will we see more of the insanity the past few seasons have taught us to expect?
Read moreOhio Valley Tournament Preview 2021
Belmont rolled through the regular season as top contenders Murray State and Austin Peay surprisingly stumbled. Can the Racers or Governors provide a challenge in Evansville? What about a dark horse like Morehead State, Jacksonville State, or a finally healthy Eastern Illinois?
Read moreAmerica East Tournament Preview 2021
With Anthony Lamb gone, UMBC swiped the 1-seed from Vermont in the final game of the regular season, possibly signifying a shift in who should be the postseason favorite. Here’s hoping for a rubber match for all the marbles in the early Saturday morning tip…
Read moreHorizon Tournament Preview 2021
Cleveland State shocked the conference by winning the regular season title and clinching the 1-seed, but a parity-ridden league could lead to our first dose of true madness in March…
Read moreBracketology - 1-19-21
Jim’s college hoops obsession was founded on bracketology, so he couldn’t help but take a swing at the field with less than eight weeks until Selection Sunday…
Read moreRoot's (Power) Rankings, Edition 4
Now that we’re through the holidays and into the thick of conference play, let’s check back in with Root’s Rankings…
Read moreThe Gonzaga Machine Rolls On
Gonzaga continued its neutral site dominance over solid competition, torching Virginia for 98 points in jaw-dropping performance in Fort Worth. Is this Zags team an all-timer already?
Read moreRoot's (Power) Rankings, Edition 3
There’s certainly been some movement in the rankings - most notably due to Northwestern’s impressive dismantling of Michigan State on Sunday. But of course, the #1 and #2 teams remain unchanged…
Read moreRoot's (Power) Rankings, Edition 2
Edition 2 of Root’s Rankings has arrived! The top two teams are on the shelf with COVID, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn a lot from the past week of hoops…
Read moreRoot's (Power) Rankings, Edition 1
The first edition of Jim’s rankings have arrived! He takes a look at the Gonzaga/Baylor separation atop the country, who deserves to be behind them, and whether Tennessee will ever play basketball this season (plus much more).
Read moreSouthland 2020-21 Preview
Most remember the Southland for one thing and one thing only last year: Stephen F. Austin winning at Duke in 3OT as a 27.5-point underdogs. Rightfully so, but the Lumberjacks are back for more chopping, with a competitive top tier in hot pursuit behind them.
Read moreMEAC 2020-21 Preview
The MEAC made a huge splash this offseason, most notably with Howard bringing in 5-star recruit Makur Maker and Purdue transfer Nojel Eastern. Is that enough to make the Bison the favorite? Or will several of the league’s traditional powers hold off Kenny Blakeney’s upstarts?
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